Combination manual and automatic circuit control



Feb. 4, 1930. BURDlCK 1,745,735

COMBINATION MANUAL AND AUTOMATIC CIRCUIT CONTROL Original Filed Jah. so. 1926 INVENTOR.

Patented Feb. 4, 1930 PATENT OFFICE HOWARD K. BURDICK, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA COMBINATION MANUAL AND AUTOMATIC CIRCUIT CONTROL Application filed January 30, 1926, Serial No. 84,833.

My invention relates to a device for controlling an electric circuit which will operate automatically to close said circuit under certain conditions, as, for example, in case of fire, for the purpose of sounding an alarm or performing another service, and which can be manually manipulated at will, said device being a self contained and compact article which can be installed with a minimum of work and at a very low cost.

In order to explain my invention, I have shown one practical embodiment thereof on the accompanying sheet of drawings, which I will now describe.

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a device embodying my invention; and

Figure 2 is a cover for the same, shown removed therefrom.

The invention as here shown for descriptive purposes includes a base, 1, of any suitable insulating material, such as bakelite or transit board, adapted to be secured to a wall or other support, as by means of screws at 2, 2. Said base is provided with a terminal, 3, from which extends a spring member, 4, extended to a point beyond the edge of said base, 1. A plate 5, is secured to said base, 1, and is provided with a second terminal, 6, and at its upper end with a second spring member, 7, provided at its free end with a screw, 8, having a head, 9, preferably nickel plated in order to insure that it will not corrode or become inactive as a contact. Said screw, 8, is connected by means of a fusible link, 10, with a hook, 11, on the plate, 5, whereby said spring member, 7, is held flexed away from contact with the attached end of the spring member, 4, as clearly indicated in the drawings. A woven wire cover, 12, is provided to be attached over the mechanism, and to this end is provided with a band border, 13, with means at the top and bottom, as at 14, to have spring engagement with two spring clips 15 and 16, on the base, 1, whereby said cover can a be easily and quickly removed. Said cover is provided with an opening, 17, to permit the spring member 4, .to project therefrom for manual manipulation, as is clearly indicated in the drawings.

Thus it will be understood that said device Renewed June 29, 1929.

can be manually manipulated by simply depressing the outer end of the spring member 4, which will connect it with the upper end of the plate member 5, and thus connect the two terminals, 3 and 6, and complete a circuit between said terminals. The fusible link, 10, may be of any suitable material which will fuse at a desired temperature, which will then operate to release the spring member, 7, and permit the screw head 9, and said spring (:0 member 7, to move into contact with the attached end of the member 4, and thus connect with the terminal, 3, and again complete a circuit between said terminals 3 and 6. Another fusible link is all that is necessary to reset the device for another operation. The cover is open so as to permit the access of heat thereto and insure that the link willfuse when the temperature is dangerous.

Thus I have provided a simple, compact and practical device which will operate automatically under dangerous temperature, and which can be manually operated, when desired, as when it might be wanted to have a fire drill in a school. It will be noted that there are two members adapted to be moved together manually at one end, as by the movement of the free end of the member, 4, and to be automatically moved together at their other ends, when one, which is held normally flexed away, is released by the fusing of a fusible link. It will be understood, of course, that any suitable means for automatically controlling the flexed member, 7, can be used which will give the necessary movement to permit of the contact between the two memhers.

I do not limit the invention to the details and showing here made for descriptive purposes, except as I may be limited by the hereto appended claim, for I realize that changes in details and arrangement can be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

A combination manual and automatic cir- 95 cuit control including in combination, a base, a spring member secured at one end to said base with its opposite end projecting from the edge thereof into position for manual movement, a terminal connection at the attached end of said spring member, a second spring member secured to said base adjacent the free end of said first spring and having its other end adjacent the attached end of said first spring member, a terminal connection for connecting a Wire to the attached end of said second spring, a fusible link attached at one endto the free end of said second spring member and at its other end attached to said base and holding said second spring member away from t-he'attached end of said first spring member and under tension, whereby when released by said fusible member said second spring member Will spring into engagement with the attached 'end of said first spring member, the free end of said first spring member being manually movable into contact with the. attached end of said second spring member, and a cover for said base; member, said cover having anopening for the projecting end of said first spring merrlber.

Signed, Los' Angeles, Los Angeles Uounty,Galifornia, this 25th day of J anuany,

HOWARD K. BURDICK. 

